Episode 15.8-9

They're taking it easy the next day as well.

Lecan threw a question at Arios while they were having their late breakfast.

"Arios. What's a shaman."

"A shaman? Do you mean a mage that specializes in incantations?"

"What's incantations."

"Eh? Is this some sort of test?"

"No. I'm asking because I don't know."

"Eh? You're not being serious right, Master. Err let's see, incantations are a method to put curses on weapons or accessories by using up specific catalysts and mana."

"What are those catalysts."

"I believe they're specific parts from specific magic beasts. I heard the dungeon here hosts many magic beasts whose parts are usable in incantations."

"So the catalysts differ depending on the curse huh."

"I think you need multiple catalysts for each curse. The effects should change depending on things like their combination, mixture and the amount of mana poured as well as the process."

"Are there ways to defend against incantations."

"There might be. I'm not too well versed in the topic myself. Usually you'd have to obtain a Grace item that can counter the specific effects an incantation curse gives off, I believe."

"Can incantations be directly cast on someone someplace away from the caster."

"Eeh... Hmm. I wonder about that. I have never heard about such a thing myself."

"Can a shaman put an incantation on their opponent in a direct confrontation. In other word, are incantations usable in a battle."

"That's... I'm not so sure myself, but I don't think that's possible. I have never heard of shamans getting deployed in wars or combats. The job of a shaman is to put curses on weapons and to hone their skill. Shamans that are capable of putting powerful curses are rare. There is no point in them risking their lives on the front lines."

(This guy's trains of thought are more like of a noble or a soldier than an adventurer.)

In his former world, Lecan had never encountered cursed tools with such immediate and highly potent effects like the ones in this world.

But in exchange, spellcasters that could cast curses from a remote location existed. There were no instant death curses, but the more terrible ones could result in death after several days.

This world doesn't seem to be familiar with the concept of remote curses, but it appears to have ways to enchant things with powerful curses.

Lecan needs to compare and adjust the differences in common sense such as this little by little as he goes.

"Arios-kun. Lecan, you see, could sometimes be super ignorant of the world like this."

"Oh, is that right."

"Un. And I don't think that was a test or anything like that, he really was just clueless."

"Eda."

"Yes?"

"Why do you call this guy Arios-kun."

"I mean, that's cute isn't it."

"No. This guy may look young, but he's undoubtedly older than you."

"No, Lecan-dono. Eda-san is my senpai apprentice. A senior. I'd like if she could call me without honorifics even."

"No no I can't do that. Arios-kun is Arios-kun, the end."

"Okay, well, as long as both of you are okay with it."

Lecan had the <Dagger of Stra> in his Storage. It's a dungeon item with the Graces <Null Curse Resistance> and <Null Poison Resistance>, the dagger wielded by Dovor the assassin to assault Lecan. It had the string of Spotted Spider (Hadrin) attached to it which Lecan removed. According to Shira, the venom of Five-headed Serpent (Zalgoztera) coated on its blade would not lose its effect for some time, thus Lecan has left it on the blade of the sheathed dagger.

Lecan found out that both <Dagger of Stra> and Hadrin's string came from Dungeon Ninae from appraisal.

This dungeon is the kind that drops such weapons.

Since he plans to use <Guardian Jewel of Zana> only as a last resort, he's got to keep <Dagger of Harut> on him all the time.

<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka.com >

The three of them are strolling the town.

They found a shop selling <Box (Ruuf)> and went inside.

Right now Lecan has his money, equipment, daily necessities, food, all of his possessions inside his <Storage>. It's a skill he acquired in a dungeon, a mechanism entirely different from <Box>. Lecan's <Storage> is incomparably better than this world's <Box>.

That's fine and all, but Lecan has no idea how much money he's got left.

Trying to keep his <Storage> hidden from others whenever he goes shopping is also a pain.

Thus, he's thinking of buying a small <Box> exclusively for keeping his money.

It's called <Box> but it's mostly bags that get the function, and this shop mostly deals in bag-shaped ones. Or more like, they're bags that have been enchanted with <Box> functions.

It's also possible to have <Box> function be put on bags, jars and boxes the customers bring themselves. So long as that particular shop accepts such service, that is. But doing that costs far more than simply buying one outright, thus most people don't do that.

<Box> capacities could go from only tens to fifties times larger depending on how one is made. Anything larger than that is a special order. Apparently some extremely rare mages are capable of expanding the object of <Box> to hundreds times its capacity.

The sturdiness of a bag with <Box> function is proportional to its original sturdiness. Once the <Box> function has been enchanted on a bag, it won't get torn from the inside anymore, and the outer part also becomes sturdier.

That said, a bag is ultimately a bag. A cut will tear it apart, wear will break it. If it gets torn apart, everything inside will spill out.

It's the reason why merchants tend to avoid using <Box> for transporting goods except for specific items. Foodstuff is an exception, but even that only uses a big bag that's been expanded five times its original capacity. For anything larger, the cost of buying a new one, maintenance and replacements will eat into their profit, and it's not easy to cope with incidents involving such <Box>.

Chaney taught Lecan all this stuff. After all Chaney doesn't have the knowledge about how adventurers use <Box> inside a dungeon, neither does Lecan.

Adventurers Lecan spotted in town were carrying two three medium-sized bags on their back, but those won't be enough to put dungeon materials in. Because <Box> cannot store an item bigger than the bag itself.

Lecan bought a fist-sized <Box> and two largish bags that lack <Box>. Also a leather sack to wrap the <Box> in. This is because <Box> is made of cloth, thus by wrapping the outside with a leather sack, it can help reduce tear and wear of the <Box> inside.

Eda bought an accessory case.

Arios was gazing at many kinds of <Box> curiously, but he didn't buy any in the end. Arios already has got at least three <Boxes>. More than enough surely.

They left the store and walked somewhere with a few foot traffic.

Lecan stopped walking, turned around and called out to a woman walking behind them.

"So, what's your business with me?"